


The Long-Awaited Return

by paladin_danse



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alpha!Erik, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Family Betrayal - Freeform, M/M, Omega!Charles, Omegaverse, Royalty!Erik, Slow Burn, Thief!Charles, bonding over chocolate and food, charles is really bad at stealing, logan is a shit, mushroom gathering, prepare to have your feelings smooshed, probably some inaccurate shit but w/e, rabbit hunting, royal shenanigans, some heartbreak
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-28 21:15:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6345463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paladin_danse/pseuds/paladin_danse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik turned away from his title as future king a long time ago after the death of his mother was falsely blamed on assassination. His path now seems to be winding its way in a direction he does not anticipate when he meets a mysterious thief named Charles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I bring some news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhhh, I have no idea where this came from. A lot of fandoms just kind of smashed together in my brain, and then this story was born and was very rude in its way of demanding to be written down. Enjoy it!

For years, peace had flourished between the kingdoms of Genosha and Latveria. Trade was prosperous, and the new sources of food and goods brought much more diversity to the many festivals afforded to the people by grace of the church. Friendships formed between the people who visited each other often. The two kings themselves became close friends, and a treaty was signed between them to keep the peace. Their families spent summers together and the elder prince of Genosha was meant to wed the prince of Latveria.... but if one knows politics at all, one knows that peace can never last.

The sudden declaration of war from Latveria by assassination of Queen Edie came as a shock to all. It didn't take long for King Jakob to pass away, but it was no surprise. He loved his wife dearly, and it seemed he lost all will to live after she was gone. He starved himself for weeks until finally he passed in his sleep, but most say his cause of death was a broken heart. The elder prince who was meant to take the throne disappeared, never to be heard from again, and the younger prince laid claim to the throne of Genosha for himself.

The kingdom fell into poverty as the wealth was not only poured into the military funds but also squandered on the new queen to win his affection by King Logan, who refused to heed to the words of his advisers. Over the past 12 war-stricken years, the people struggled to pay the ever-rising taxes as well as keep themselves fed. It seemed the people of Genosha had lost hope for ever living peaceful lives again, save for one man who lived alone in a cottage buried deep in the countryside, away from prying eyes.

He was a mysterious and quiet alpha who said his name was Erik, but he never gave a house name. There were many whispers about him—that he was a spy from Latveria, that he was from another foreign kingdom never heard of, that he was a criminal meant for the gallows escaped from jail—but no one who ever spoke to him was rude enough to pry into his business.

Fortune seemed to favor Erik, as he was lucky enough to come across some livestock including two pigs, an ox and a milk cow. The few who were familiar with the alpha thought it strange how he could afford one animal, much less four of them. He was a free man with no lord to serve but still spent little time doing anything other than tending to his small amount of land. He didn't attend the few festivals that peasants were still able to have in their poverty, and he never attended church.

Many young adoring omegas were drawn to his mysterious and seemingly dangerous reputation. They tried to catch his eye when he came into town occasionally to buy spices, but it was all for naught. Erik was reserved and uninterested as ever, leading some to believe he'd lost his mate in some terrible accident or left them behind wherever he came from. Still, despite his cold and quiet demeanor, he was not one to turn away those in need. Several years in a row, he had helped his neighbor Emma plough her fields. Her steer was temperamental at times and refused to work with any alpha, but it seemed to be willing to comply to Erik's gentle hand.

Every few weeks, a troupe of soldiers accompanying Doctor Henry (or “Hank”, as Erik affectionately called him), a very important-looking young man, made their way from the capital to Erik's small cottage. Nobody knew what their business was, and it was the topic of gossip between many of the people. Was he a spy for Genosha, then? An assassin? Was he some adviser who refused to live in the castle? Erik had heard all sorts of silly ideas but none of them came close to the truth.

The mud beneath his feet was slippery as he trudged across the pig pen, bucket in hand. Sunlight was beginning to stream across the field through the trees as he tossed some of the slop into the feeding trough. The pigs squealed and oinked eagerly as they ran forward, nearly knocking him over as they ran by. He laughed and bent down to scratch Wilbur's ears when he heard the hoof-beats of horses coming his way. The dogs, who were lying lazily in the grass, perked immediately and began to bark as they bolted down the road.

With a quick glance around the wall of the pig pen, he was able to confirm it was indeed Hank before he dumped out the rest of the slop in the bucket and hung it up where he always did. He passed into the barn and patted Abigail affectionately on her hindquarters to let her know he was behind her, and she mooed lowly in response. Erik rinsed his hands in the spicket as Hank arrived in the front yard. “Wasn't expecting you today,” he greeted as he dried his hands with the cloth tied around his waist that acted as an apron.

Hank dismounted, dogs licking and yipping at him, and the two friends embraced, clapping each other on the back. “Nice to see you again, Erik,” Hank greeted as they pulled away. “I bring some news.” His tone made it sound as though it was not good news, and the way he looked at Erik suggested he wished to speak alone, away from eavesdroppers.

Erik nodded his head as he breathed a heavy sigh out through his nose. “Come inside. I've got some bread and cheese to share.” He allowed Hank to enter, the scent of omega sweeping past him, before beginning to remove his boots as he leaned against the door frame so as not to track mud into the house.

One of the guards who wore a suit of armor that was much more lavish than the others sat upon his horse watching Erik with keen eyes. He had no helmet, which allowed others to see the scar lining his left eye. One could tell by looking at him that he had seen war, and lots of it. There was a look about him that did not sit well with many, as if there were an evil glint in his eye. “Erik,” he greeted simply out of custom rather than friendliness or respect as he gave a nod.

Erik glanced up at him as he finished taking off his boots and setting them aside the door to dry. “Azazel,” he greeted in an unfriendly tone before he shooed the dogs out of the house and shut the door.

The cottage was small but comfortable, with a hearth in one of the walls where a pot of stew boiled over coals in the fireplace. The structure was strong but fairly new, seeming to have been built in just the last few years. Erik pulled off his outer tunic as he entered and hung it on a tack that jutted from one of the supporting beams overhead along with the apron. He made his way into a small pantry area, where cheeses, vegetables, salted meats and breads were stored, as well as barrels of some collected water and alcoholic beverages. “Wine?” Erik offered as he carried a small bowl of sweet goat cheese and a loaf of bread to the table before returning for a pitcher of the red liquid.

Hank, who sat at the table already, refused politely with a wave of his hand. “No, thank you. I'd like to stay on my horse this time.” He gave a small, embarrassed laughed.

“So what's this _news_ you've brought me?” Erik asked as he sliced a few pieces of bread.

Hank sighed softly as his fingers laced together in his lap, pausing a moment. “The king—” Hank paused, hesitating, as if he'd just said the wrong thing. “... Your brother—he's dead.”

Erik didn't seem phased as he spread the goat cheese onto a piece of bread. His expression remained stoic as he took a bite. After washing it down with a drink of wine, he finally asked, “How did he die?”

Hank glanced back at the door, as if to check that no one else was there. “Officially there is no cause of death other than natural causes, but he was poisoned,” he whispered softly. “By whom, no one knows. Some believe it to be Latverian assassins but poison is an omega weapon. Once people find out the queen has disappeared, I'm afraid he's going to bear the brunt of it. I've known him since he came here, and I don't believe he would ever do such a thing, no matter how bad things were between him and Logan. He respected the king deeply.”

“Disappeared?” Erik asked, eyebrows raised. “The queen is missing? For how long?”

Hank shrugged his shoulders as he shook his head. “Weeks. It's a shame, really. He was very sweet. I asked his handmaiden if she'd seen him but she has no idea where he's gone.”

“Mn.” Erik had absent-mindedly begun to turn the mug on the table top in a circle as he gazed off, his mind wandering.

It was possible the queen had poisoned him. Logan did have a gruff demeanor, and after what happened with their mother... Well, Erik was sure that he wouldn't blame the queen for poisoning him. He was a bastard. His hand tightened on the mug as he recalled the memory, a bitter expression crossing his face.

“You know what this means,” Hank began gently, removing his spectacles. Erik didn't respond but lifted an eyebrow in question. “With Logan gone and the queen vanishing, they'll be coming to find you, Erik.”

He sighed softly, head shaking. “I can't go back,” he replied.

Hank's brow furled. “If you won't return to the throne, who knows what the next man will be like that the council decides to make king?”

“I've told you before, I won't be going back,” Erik replied flatly and drank more of the wine.

“Erik, please...”

“It's not my issue.”

“It's the entire kingdom's issue,” Hank countered.

By the look of the glint in his eye, Erik was beginning to grow more and more frustrated as the conversation went on. “I'm not a king, Hank. My father before me may have been, but ruling has never been in my blood.”

“Please... just consider it,” Hank whispered as he placed something on the table.

When Erik did not reply, Hank pushed himself away from the table. As he was about to pass, he stopped and set a hand on Erik's shoulder in silence. After a moment, he uttered softly, “Diu expectata reditum.” He shut the door quietly behind himself, and Erik was able to hear him as he played with the dogs a moment out front before mounting his horse and galloping off down the road with the guards.

Erik sighed softly as he stared at the object that Hank had left on his table top. The ring gleamed in the sunlight that streaked through the window, looking as beautiful as the day he'd left it behind in his chambers. It bore a shark on the coat of arms, the mark of his family's crest. Its symbol was supposed to represent power, superiority and wisdom—all traits that the royal family should possess. Logan had certainly made it known that he believed he embodied the first two during his short reign as king... but he was a fool to forget the third of their family's values.

His finger tapped against the table top in quick strokes as he stared at the ring in thought. Hank's pleading prevented him from denying the request, but Erik had no intention of accepting. The throne was something he'd turned away from a long time ago, and the desire of becoming a battle-born king did not appeal to him. He would rather be left in peace to tend to his farm and his animals where he could live out his days in the quiet of the countryside, alone.

With a sigh, Erik pushed himself back from the table and donned his boots and outer tunic. He gave pause a moment next to the table, his fingers lingering on the edge of it as he stared down at the ring. He reached out as if to pick it up but his hand withdrew quickly before he walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

 


	2. What have you done?

The lantern's light was low but still managed to illuminate just enough of the inside of the barn. Erik preferred to keep it that way, believing that too much light would keep the cow much too alert and fidgety to be milked. Crickets played their melody out in the cool night air in fields and the nearby forest as the sound of milk streams hit the side of the wooden bucket.

It was like this every night for them, sitting comfortably together in the darkness, and Erik had to admit it may have been his favorite part of the day. Abigail was busy chewing away at her feeding trough as Erik leaned against her, humming a soft song he learned long ago when he was a boy. The melody seemed to calm Abigail and keep her steady. He'd forgotten most the words, and sometimes it drove him nearly mad when he tried to recall them, but he remembered the melody perfectly. As he hummed along, his mind wandered to the conversation he'd had with Hank that morning.

Part of Erik wondered if the royal guard really would come for him. Azazel, captain of the guard, knew well enough where he lived, as he'd accompanied Hank to Erik's home many times over. He doubted it, honestly, as other power-hungry men would probably step in eagerly to become the king. But it was no concern of Erik's. The business of royals was their own, and he denounced his title and claim to the throne 12 years ago after his mother's death. Bitterly, begrudgingly, he recalled the memory of why.

 

_-_

 

_It had been a long day of lessons and riding, and Erik's back and legs ached from the many hours he'd spent on horseback. He was stretching as he scaled the steps to the east wing where his family's quarters were. Along the halls were hung tapestries of his family's crest with a vicious shark prowling the waters along with family portraits of his ancestors. He stopped before one in the candle light, his hand tracing over the rough material momentarily before he continued down the hall._

_As soon as he opened the door to the royal chamber hallway, Erik's eyes rolled at the sound of his mother and brother bickering once more. The two fought like cats and dogs, and it bothered Erik how Logan spoke to their mother, as if he were a spoiled child. He showed no respect to her, despite how many times Erik thought he'd beaten it into him. From the sounds of it, Logan had been caught with another of the omega maids in his bed. The poor girl would probably be punished, but it wouldn't be nearly as severe as Logan's._

_His mother's voice was the first to become clear as he headed down the hallway. “You'll have 20 bastards by the time you're in your 30s! What will it take for you to control yourself?”_

_As he entered his room, Erik's conscience told him to leave his door cracked to better listen to the conversation._

“ _I'm not a boy anymore, Mother!” Logan shouted. “My business is no concern of yours.”_

“ _Whether or not you are a boy, I am the **queen** , and you will **listen to me**. If this is your business then it must stop immediately, or by the gods, I'll have you castrated!”_

_Erik couldn't help chuckling as he removed his cloak._

“ _I'll do as I please, you old harpy!!” Logan shouted followed by the sound of a smack. "How dare you lay your hands on me!" His voice was filled with rage, and the ensuing scream from his mother alarmed Erik. He hurried down the hall as there was a crash and burst open through the door to a sight he never thought he would see. His mother lay on the ground holding her abdomen that bled from multiple stab wounds as she moaned in pain, and Logan loomed above her with a look of shock on his face and a knife in his hand taken from the tray of food behind him. Blood dripped from its blade; his mother's blood._

_A wave of numbness washed over Erik as he hovered in the doorway. It felt as if he were watching this scene through someone else's eyes. “Mama!” Rushing to her side, Erik's eyes brimmed with tears, which immediately began to race down his cheeks as he scooped her into his arms and held her against his chest. “No, Mama, no...”_

_A sob escaped his lips as she lifted a bloody trembling hand to barely graze across the stumble of his chin. Her eyes were filled with terror as the light began to fade from them, and Erik could see that her skin was quickly losing color and becoming paler and paler right before his eyes as the blood stained his tunic. “Forgive him,” she strained to whisper. “Forgive him, Erik...”_

_Before he could say a word, her arm dropped away, and she was gone. The bright light within her eyes had faded quickly, leaving only a dull, blank stare within them. His arms tightened around her, shoulders trembling as he sobbed into her auburn hair. “Mama,” he whispered. “No, please... Mama, please!”_

_There was silence in the room, other than the sound of Erik's sobs. A clattering sound was heard, and Erik glanced over to see the knife had dropped from Logan's hand as he sniffled._

_“It... It was an accident,” Logan uttered as he stared, his expression still displaying disbelief. “I didn't mean...” His head shook, his face white as a ghost.. “This stays between us. If you tell anybody what you've seen, I'll tell all of Genosha it was you.”_

_Disgust caused Erik to visibly draw back from his brother as his face twisted in disbelief. He couldn't believe the words that had just come from Logan's mouth. Somehow Erik always knew that his younger brother's temper would one day end in grief... but never had he ever imagined this._

_Their mother slipped from his arms as Erik came to his feet. “You,” he whispered as he approached his brother, rage fueling the tears now spilling over. “I'LL KILL YOU!” Erik lunged forward and tackled Logan backwards. The two of them slammed into a tapestry on the wall, which was ripped down as they struggled against it. Erik's hands made attempts to grab at Logan's throat, determined to choke him if it was the last thing he did._

_Logan shoved him backwards, and Erik tripped over the ottoman and flipped backwards, crashing into one of the tables. Grapes and other exotic fruit flew across the room as the silver platter clattered across the floor. The two of the brothers clashed again with fists flying as they continued to wreck the room. Logan pinned him against the ground, and Erik fought to keep his hands busy. “Guards!” he shouted, kicking his brother off. “Guards!”_

_“This is for your own good,” Logan hissed and sent a swift kick to Erik's side. The wind was quickly knocked out of him as he wheezed for breath, holding his ribs as Logan shouted, “Assassin!”_

_Shock swept across Erik's face. “Are you mad!” he whispered as he gasped for breath._

_The clattering of armor was heard as some of the guards ran up the stairs. “What's happened, your highness!”_

_One of the guards gasped. “The queen!”_

_“She's been attacked!” Logan cried as he pointed to her lifeless body. “It was an assassin! We tried to stop him but he escaped through the window!”_

_The second guard rushed forward to lean out the window. “I don't see him!”_

That's because he doesn't exist _, Erik thought as he glared at his brother with hatred burning in his eyes._ You're about to start a war that no one deserves to fight.

_The first guard came forward to lift her hand gently and turned back to look at Logan, his expression grim. “She's dead, your highness.”_

_Logan shook his head, and he glanced in his brother's direction as he whispered, "Latveria has shown their hand. It's time we showed ours."_

_Erik groaned as he was helped to his feet, his eyes still narrowed at his brother._  You monster... What have you done?

 

-

 

Erik had stopped humming long ago as the memory played in his mind, which is probably why he was distracted so easily by the sound of foot steps through the grass outside in the yard. The sound of his milking ceased as he listened, watching the doorway in anticipation. “I thought I'd find you out here,” a familiar voice said as a blonde woman stepped out of the darkness and into the barn.

“Emma,” Erik greeted. Her scent was strong, and he wondered if she'd bought one of those omega scent boosters he'd seen available in the marketplace. Erik fought the urge to keep his eyes on her every second that she stood before him. Emma smiled down at him but he turned back to Abigail without matching her expression and continued to milk. “What are you doing here so late?”

“I gathered a few extra eggs this morning and came by to see if you'd like them.” She lifted the basket in her hand to show off the dozen or so that lay wrapped in a cloth.

“That's very kind of you,” he replied softly but soon noticed that she was alone. “Where's that active little son of yours?”

“Oh, Michael? He's at home, asleep. My house is just down the road, you know.” She sighed softly. “He misses his father something terrible.” Erik didn't respond, thinking of how it might've been unsafe to leave him, but it wasn't really his business. “It might be good for him to have an alpha around the house.”

Erik glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, uncomfortable with where the conversation seemed to be leading. “Perhaps. There are plenty of alphas in town that would make for good mates.”

“Yes... there are, aren't there?” Erik could feel her eyes examining him and shifted under her gaze. “I was wondering,” she began as she set the eggs down and removed the wrap around her shoulders meant to keep her warm in the evening chill, “if you might be able to help me again next spring with Angus. He's awfully stubborn sometimes. Can hardly seem to get him to eat if he's not in the mood!” Emma gave a small laugh.

The faintest hint of a smile appeared on Erik's face, but it was gone as fast as it'd appeared. He finished milking and wiped his hands before grabbing hold of the handle on the bucket. “It's no problem. I can always help.”

“Of course...” Her hand set against his wrist to stop him as she moved in close to him, her gaze flickering from his lips to his eyes. “There's always something else that you could help me with too...” The shoulders of her dress dropped away seductively, revealing more of her cleavage.

Erik would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted. She was a beautiful omega, and her body was certainly attractive to him, but Erik had no desire to be a father or a mate. “Emma,” he uttered softly, moving his hand away from her touch and down to his side, “I'm flattered that you would have me bu—” He was interrupted by her lips crashing against his in an awkward, fumbling kiss as his eyebrows lifted, and the milk bucket dropped from his hand to land surprisingly upright—but not without spilling some upon impact. Erik had to grab her by the shoulders and pull her away from him, flustered. “E-Emma, I don't think you understand,” he whispered, a bit out of breath as his cheeks flushed. “I'm not interested.”

It took her a moment of gawking for what he said to truly sink in. Emma looked embarrassed and confused and angry all at once, and her foot pulled back to send a swift kick into the bucket before she pulled her sleeves up over her shoulders as she stormed out of the door without another word spoken. Erik exhaled deeply as he stared at the milk seeping into the ground and massaged one eye with his finger and the other with his thumb as his other hand placed upon his hip.

Since the death of her mate 5 years ago, Emma had always been very kind to him, coming by to deliver some eggs or a few loaves of bread, but her intentions had been revealed with that kiss. All this time she'd been looking to make Erik her mate, and he truly began to feel sorry for seeming to have led her on. If he'd realized her feelings sooner, he may have spared her the pain years ago. Erik had no intention of taking a mate, now or ever. Solitude was all he wanted.

With a sigh, Erik stepped forward to the bucket that lay just in front of the back exit of the barn, but something caught his eye as he leaned down to pick it up. He squinted to try and see better in the dark, but he was almost certain he'd seen a shape move from his crops to the forest line a few hundred feet away. At first he thought it may be Emma, but it took his sleepy mind a moment to realize that she lived in the opposite direction and that they—whoever this person was—may have been using the cover of night to steal from the crops. Erik was too tired and too irritated, and it was much too dark to inspect anything, so he decided to look at the aftermath the next morning.

Erik untied Abigail from the wooden bar across the wall, and she turned to nuzzle him as he stroked her face affectionately. “Good night, ol' girl,” he whispered, lingering a moment or two before he picked up the lantern and returned to the warmth of the house where the fire still flickered in the hearth.

 

 


	3. What's the catch?

For some time early in the morning, his mind lingered between sleep and consciousness before he heard the distant crow of Emma's rooster some miles away. Erik's eyes cracked open to the sight of dust floating in the morning sunlight that peeked through the treetops and streaked in through his window. He didn't feel as rested as he would have liked and honestly would have preferred to lie in bed for the day, but there was work to be done.

As he pushed himself up from the bed, the two dogs lying across his feet began to rouse with their tails wagging and stretch as they rose. “Good morning,” Erik mumbled, scratching his head and running fingers through his messy hair with a yawn. One of the dogs licked his cheek in response, and he laughed softly as he pushed the dog off the bed playfully.

After having a quick wash and a lazy shave, Erik dressed himself and stepped out into the cool air and inhaled the scent of the crisp morning. The dogs ran past him out the door and began to frolic in the fields around the house, yipping and wrestling and growling. Their attention was caught by something and they began chasing around what seemed to be a rabbit.

As his eyes settled on the corn crops, Erik was reminded of the events from the previous night and began his short trip across the property. Upon closer inspection, he was able to see that some ears of corn had been removed very gently. Erik crouched, his fingers brushing across the soil at the base of the stalks as the dogs approached the scene to sniff the ground. Although the foot prints were smaller than his own, the feet were too big to be Emma's, which ruled her out. The scent that lingered was male although Erik was unable to discern what sex of male. Whoever this mystery person was, Erik suspected this wasn't the first time they'd taken food from his farm.

Erik sighed as he straightened and wiped his hands clean of the dirt, eyes sweeping across the treeline before him as the dogs followed the trail back into the trees, but Erik let out a whistle to stop them from venturing much farther. Traps had the potential of being seen and dismantled, and even then, it was possible they could injure the person, were they to be caught. Erik didn't intend to hurt them. He'd have to catch them in the act to stop them, and Erik decided tonight would probably be a good night to try.

 

\--

  


Throughout the day, Erik found himself anxiously looking at the position of the sun, as if it would help move it across the sky any faster than normal. Although it had been on his mind for no less than his every waking hour, he still was not sure what he would do to this thief upon catching him. It depended on the reason, he supposed. It didn't seem as though he were stealing enough to sell at the market, so he must have been eating the food. Was he an outlaw? Someone who couldn't be bothered to work?

Finally, after a long day of working out in the fields in the autumn heat, the sun was beginning to set in the west. In order for the plan to go smoothly, Abigail had to be milked early that evening, and Erik hoped that it wouldn't interrupt their usual schedule later on. The cow stood beside him, eating some oats from his hands as he sat just inside the barn with a line of sight towards the crops. As the sky grew darker, Erik blew out the lantern by his feet and led Abigail to her corral, making sure that it was closed and locked before he returned to his seat to take watch.

For quite a long while, nothing happened. No one approached and there was no movement anywhere around the house. Erik feared the theft wasn't a nightly occurrence and sat back in his chair, anxiously popping his knuckles and wringing his hands until finally, after much contemplation when he was about to retire for the night, he thought he saw something.

There was a small amount of movement at the tree line, and Erik felt himself wake fully as he watched, standing from his chair to move forward near the doorway in the darkness. Moonlight illuminated a small, stealthy form beginning to sneak from the foliage towards the stalks of course. The thief moved slowly, seeming to be very skittish as they stopped every now and then to make sure their presence had gone unnoticed.

Erik waited until just the right moment when the thief was distracted after dropping an ear of corn to bolt out of the barn towards them. The thief cursed loudly as they caught sight of him, dropping the food with a couple of _thumps_ into the dirt as they ran toward the trees. The voice confirmed that it was indeed a male, and the scent he left streaked across the field revealed that he was an omega.

Erik's heart beat hard against his chest as he pushed himself harder to catch them. “Stop!” he shouted, closing the distance between them as he lept over a fallen tree here and a stump there, dodging between trees. If not for the moon then it would have been near impossible to catch the quick bastard. He was familiar with his path, which meant he had traveled it more than a handful of times. Erik nearly lost his balance more than once from the uneven terrain.

The thief cursed as he tripped over something in the dark, and he wasn't quick enough to scramble to his feet to escape. Erik tackled him to the ground, both of them grunting from the impact as leaves flew here and there, and the omega cried out as Erik's weight bore down on him. “Ow!” he cried as Erik pinned him to the ground.

“What do you think you're doing?” Erik demanded, chest heaving as he grabbed at the omega's wrists.

“I just came by for a bite,” the omega teased, smiling up at him as he struggled to fight his way out of Erik's iron grip to no avail.

Erik had to pause for a moment, taken aback at the omega's appearance as he tried to catch his breath and settle his thoughts. “You know, where I come from, thieves lose their hands when they're caught.”

“ _If_ they're caught,” the omega replied with an impish grin. Erik's eyes rolled. “Besides, it was just a few ears of corn. It's not as if you need _all_ of them, right?”

“It's no business of yours what I do with my crops,” he replied sharply.

“If you don't mind me saying, it does seem a bit silly that you're angry about it _now_ since you haven't noticed it before.”

Erik narrowed his eyes as his hands tightened around the omega's wrists. “How long, exactly, have you been stealing from me?”

The omega gave a shuddered breath as he squirmed slightly in the leaves and underbrush, a guilty smile spreading across his face. “As long as I've needed to.”

Erik exhaled softly as he stared down at the omega beneath him, feeling a deep sense of pleasure in seeing the omega struggle for freedom beneath him. He was silent a long moment until he pushed himself to his feet and yanked the omega upwards as well by his shirt. “Since you seem to be adamant on eating my food anyway, you may as well come inside for a decent meal.”

The omega was brushing leaves off of himself when Erik spoke, and he stopped mid-swipe as he looked up at the alpha. He gave a small scoff, amused. “What, you mean, pop in for a bit of supper?”

“Or I could just catch you next time and take you to the guard,” Erik replied as he turned away to walk back to his cottage. The omega had no witty reply to that, instead falling silent. This brought a faint smirk to Erik's face as he trudged back through the leaves. “Come on, thief. There's some stew waiting for us.” He glanced over his shoulder to see the omega standing where he'd left him, looking back over his shoulder anxiously before he hurried to catch up. There was silence between them as they crossed the threshold of the forest and into the field surrounding Erik's cottage.

“Charles,” the omega admitted as they trudged along through the grass, surprising Erik. “My name is Charles.”

Erik nodded as he turned to Charles with a faint smile. “Erik.”

They headed past the rows of corn and into the entrance of the house to be greeted by the dogs who sniffed Charles and yipped at him curiously as he pet them gently. Upon closing the door, Charles' eyes scanned the one-roomed house before him illuminated only by the warm, flickering fire in the hearth. Erik sat beside it and removed his shoes, and Charles began to do the same as he leaned against the wall for support. “Why are you doing this?” he asked, a suspicious look in his eyes as he looked to Erik for an answer. “You must be mad.”

The fire crackled when Erik lay another log upon it, prodding at the coals with the iron bar that seemed to live next to the hearth. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you helping me?”

He thought about the question for a moment, not entirely sure of how to respond because he wasn't sure himself why. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn't like Charles stealing just to eat. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn't like being stolen from. He'd much prefer to know that food others were eating of his was at his own table if not paid for at market.

“I could use some help around the farm,” Erik began as he stood up, dusting his hands off over the fire. “Vegetables need to be harvested and gathered to be sold. You'll be helping me do that. In exchange, I'll feed you and give you shelter.”

Charles side-eyed him suspiciously as he moved to sit at the table. “What's the catch?”

Erik turned to him with an eyebrow raised, his chin tilting upward slightly. “You'll stop stealing from me, or you'll have no hands to steal with after I'm done with you.” The tone in his voice revealed that he really was quite serious about it as he locked eyes with Charles.

“Fair enough,” Charles replied as he turned away, glancing over the house once more. Erik felt Charles' gaze upon him as he moved into the kitchen area to fetch two bowls. “What makes you think I won't just take what I'd like and leave in the night?”

Erik wanted to laugh. Was Charles trying to provoke him? Crossing the room once more, he scooped some of the stew from the cauldron into the bowls as he replied, “Because you have nowhere else to go or you wouldn't have come with me to begin with. Even if you did, I'd find you and do worse to you than the guards would if you took anything more than food from me.” One of bowls of stew was held in Charles' direction.

“And what if you can't find me?” he challenged, staring directly into Erik's eyes as he took the bowl in his hands.

There was tension between them a moment as they stared at each other, Erik's fingers not releasing from the dish. Rarely did an omega talk so boldly to an alpha that was not their own, and in such close quarters. Erik found himself nearing a growl deep in his throat, but he refrained from allowing the sound to escape him. Charles was no ordinary omega. He seemed to either be unaware of any of the customs of their genders or to blatantly ignore them, and he was treading on dangerous ground. But the mischievous glint in his eye told the alpha that he was enjoying Erik's reaction.

He leaned close, his voice low and purposeful. “I will.” With that, his fingers slipped away from Charles' bowl.

The corner of Charles' lip turned upward faintly at the threatening promise before his gaze flickered downward to the food in his hands. “Of course you will,” he replied, unimpressed while spooning a bite into his mouth. “Mn... What is that, beef?” Erik gave a nod of his head quietly as he sat in the chair across from him. “Anyway, I suppose it'd be foolish to steal from you now that you've discovered me. I also happen to find you a fine cook, so I don't see any reason to deny or break your bargain except one: how do I know you won't go to the guard tomorrow or the next day or even the day after thta and turn me in?”

A faint smirk drifted across Erik's lips. “I guess you'll just have to trust me if you want you want a full stomach every night.” Something about this omega drew him in, made him want to become familiar with him.

Over the past few years, he had easily avoided becoming attracted to others like Emma and Hank, but this was different... and it should have been troubling to Erik, but it clearly wasn't as he sat there, enjoying the company of this omega. He was different from anyone Erik had ever met, challenging authority when most omegas would bow their heads and submit whether they wanted to or not. The challenges Charles offered, both small and large, were beginning to stir something deep within him that he had never been very familiar with.

Silence passed between them after they finished eating, the two of them simply looking at each other as the flames lighting the room flickered across the features of their faces. Erik found it somewhat intriguing that Charles never broke eye contact despite his sex's submissive nature. His own nature was pushing him to confront Charles, to force him to submit and obey, but Erik turned away quickly to stop the thoughts from haunting him any more. Charles was a human being, nothing more or less than that, and he would not give into his nature and ruin what had the potential to be a friendship—regardless of how exciting the notion seemed to him.

“Where have you been staying?”

Charles seemed surprised when the silence between them was broken, and he gave a small, bashful laugh. “There's an old home in the trees that was abandoned some time ago,” he replied softly. “It's not a _castle_ but it's livable.” Charles paused for a moment while making a face with widened eyes and pursed lips, although Erik wasn't sure what it meant. He looked as though he'd made a slip of the tongue. “I managed meals out of squirrels and mushrooms until I found your farm.” This was when the mischievous smile returned to his features while casting a glance at Erik.

“You'll sleep here now,” Erik responded as he stood up. Charles seemed to stiffen, ready to take flight if something went wrong but seemed relieved that all Erik wanted was to pick up the wooden bowl. Erik stacked them together and slid them across the table to Charles. “Rinse these in the spigot outside and put them on the table, then go to bed.”

He turned away to the bed while Charles stood there staring down at the dishes in his hands. “Where?” Charles asked in a soft voice.

Erik pulled off his tunic, his chin turning to face Charles as he tossed it onto one of the chairs. “You can sleep on the floor or in the chair if you'd like, or there's room in the bed.”

“With you?” Charles eyed him suspiciously.

Erik shrugged his shoulders, trying to make it seem as though it wasn't an issue. It didn't have to be. They'd be living together, so they may as well get comfortable with each other.

Charles didn't respond, only staring at him a moment with a look that Erik could not decipher until he walked out of the door and into the moonlight. The dogs had long since laid down on the floor, watching as they waited for the humans to fall asleep. (They always were restless until Erik settled down in bed.) Erik stripped down to only his long braies as he heard the water splashing outside and climbed into the bed, making sure to leave room for Charles as he settled into the sheets in case he decided to sleep beside Erik.

Several moments later when Erik had begun to drift into a light sleep, the door opened with a squeak, and Charles was quiet as a mouse as he moved through the darkened house to the bed. It seemed he couldn't tell that Erik was awake in the dark as he looked down at the alpha's seemingly sleeping form. After a moment of contemplation, Charles moved away to curl up in one of the chairs by the fire, unfolding one of the woollen blankets to drape over himself. Disappointment flashed through Erik but he quickly dismissed it as his alpha tendency.

Erik had trouble falling asleep, and he wasn't sure of the exact reason. It couldn't have been the smell of his new company filling the air, distracting him and invading his thoughts. Of course not. Ridiculous. It had just been an exciting night, and he was still energized from the chase that had happened not too long ago.

The fire was beginning to die, and it would get cold for Charles if the flames went out so Erik decided to put his restlessness to some use. He climbed out of the bed and crept to the hearth to deposit some wood into it, blowing to ensure that the flames caught onto them. After a moment of warming his hands, he stood and wiped them clear of the bark before turning to head back to bed. He released a sigh as he glanced down at Charles in the chair. Erik tucked the blanket around him that had nearly fallen off and before he knew it, his fingers had wandered to brush some strands of hair from Charles' face. He withdrew quickly, scolding himself inwardly as he wandered back to the bed.

Erik wasn't sure what he was getting himself into or whether the decision of taking in a thief would come back to bite him in the arse, but he was quite sure his life was about to change. For better or for worse? He didn't know, but something told him to expect some trouble along the way.

It took some time but after some tossing and turning, he was eventually able to succumb to sleep as his eyes drifted closed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eek. Idk how I feel about this chapter but OH WELL. I hope you enjoyed it.


	4. Nothing to worry about.

The heat from the August sun was nearly unbearable as they worked together in the fields over the course of the next several days. Erik couldn't remember if he'd reaped through a summer this hot before. A selfish part of him hoped that it would rain just once and cool off the weather for a bit, but then he immediately took back that wish the moment he made it. He didn't have a corn oven to dry the stalks of wheat if they got wet, and the other people who lived around him couldn't afford to lose their crops either.

He felt especially guilty for having Charles work in this kind of weather, who seemed to have never worked a day in his life. Blisters lined his soft hands and fingers even from the work he did while wearing some thick cow-hide gloves. Erik remembered getting blisters when he first started doing field work, and he remembered the agony of having to work through the stinging in his hands, so he tried to take more breaks than usual throughout the days to rest Charles' aching fingers.

As time went on and the sun continued its cycle through the sky, Erik had noticed a faint sweet scent that he couldn't quite place but thought nothing of it. Perhaps it was just Charles' scent intensifying with the heat. The both of them had discarded their shirts some time early in the morning that day, and by the time the sun was high in the sky, they were both sweating.

Finally, after hours and hours of hard labor, they were able to gather the last of the bundles of wheat and store them in the barn. “Alright,” Erik began breathlessly as he patted Charles' shoulder, who leaned against one of the wooden posts in the shade. “Hard part's over.”

Charles offered a weak smile in return as he panted for breath. “Water?” he asked with a dry voice, looking down at the angry, red blisters on his hands.

“Let me see.” Erik approached and held his hands out, which Charles hesitantly placed his own in. The alpha's mouth twisted slightly as he looked down at the scabbed wounds. Some of them had begun to heal by now, but the work they'd just done that day had irritated some and even cracked a few of the scabs.

Charles hissed and withdrew his hands quickly when Erik's thumb accidentally brushed against one of the open blisters. Before Erik could open his mouth to mutter an apology, Charles interrupted him. “It's alright. Nothing to worry about. They'll heal soon, right?” He offered a weak smile.

Erik chuckled softly as he turned away and picked up his tunic from where it lay on the beam of Abigail's pen. She wandered over with a low bellow, sticking her head out to nudge Erik's arm with her nose before he could walk away. Laughing softly, he gave her a few strokes down the bridge of her nose. “I haven't forgotten you,” he mumbled to her as he made his way to the door.

The darkened house was cool, which Erik was sure they were both thankful for. The dogs jumped up from where they rested on the floor and rushed to greet the two of them as they entered. While he was enthusiastic about greeting the dogs, Charles collapsed in one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. He was exhausted, Erik was sure—even more so than Erik, who fetched a canteen of water from the pantry. He'd been doing this sort of work for a few years at least; Charles seemed to have come from a family that was used to more gentle labor, like tailoring or cobbling. He hesitated to ask, though, and instead drank from the canteen in hand. The cool, clear liquid was refreshing on his dry tongue, and Erik panted for breath upon finishing drinking as he wandered over to Charles and tapped his arm.

Charles took the canteen and drank eagerly from it until he couldn't hold his breath any longer. Some dribbles of water rushed down his chin, and he coughed as he wiped them away. “Thank you.”

“Mn,” Erik replied as he took the canteen back. Instead of turning away, however, Erik sat down with a couple of piece of cloth and a mortar of herbs in hand and pulled one Charles' hands gently into his lap, where he began to clean out the open wounds of dirt and sweat. Charles groaned loudly in pain and swore several times as he squirmed, but he allowed Erik to continue.

After a few short moments, Erik finished and crossed the room to dispose of the soiled cloth in a woven basket and place the mortar back into the pantry. In a quick motion, he grabbed one of the apples from the fruit basket and cut it in half. Charles was groaning as he rubbed at his sore, bandaged hands. “Back in a moment,” Erik announced before taking a bite of one of the apples as he stepped back out into the summer heat, both of the dogs at his heels.

Abigail mooed impatiently as she heard them coming, and Erik couldn't help the small laugh that slipped from his lips as he approached. “Here you are, you spoiled thing,” he muttered, holding out half of the apple, which she slurped up with her tongue and crunched through happily. The dogs didn't seem to bother Abigail as they sniffed about the barn around her. Erik set his forehead against hers in an affectionate manner, stroking her smooth black and white nose as she crunched away at her treat. He hummed softly and fed her the other half as her ears twitched.

“If only the alphas of the world loved their omegas as much as you love that cow.” The playful voice startled Erik, and he turned to see Charles standing in the doorway of the barn with a mischievous smile turning the corners of his lips upwards.

Heat warmed his cheeks, but Erik didn't shy away from her. “She's the only family I have left,” he admitted as he thumbed the bridge of her nose absent-mindedly.

Erik turned away from Abigail while wiping his hands on his trousers but as he did, he stopped upon realizing he'd nearly run right into Charles. There wasn't very much space between them now, which meant that Erik's nose was bombarded with that familiar intoxicating smell almost immediately. The scent was strong, so strong that Erik reached up to grab Charles by the arms out of instinct, preventing him from moving away. Attempting to regain his composure, Erik released him and dropped his arms away but his heart beat wildly against his chest when Charles lifted his hands to brush across Erik's forearms and down to his wrists with the gentlest touch.

Erik lifted his gaze to meet Charles' searching for an answer to his confusion, but as he did so, a look of panic swept across the omega's face. “Oh no...” He jerked his hands from Erik's skin as he backed away. “I-I have to go.” As soon as his back hit the door frame of the barn, he was suddenly sprinting across the field as fast as his legs would carry him.

“Charles!” Erik called after him as he exited the barn, shielding his eyes from the sun. The dogs ran after him but stopped half-way across the field and turned back around to trot over to Erik. “ _Charles!”_ The omega refused to acknowledge him and disappeared soon enough behind the treeline while Erik was left behind with a sinking feeling in his gut as he wondered what on earth had just happened.

His attention was drawn away as the dogs began barking wildly and ran past him to the front of the house. The sound of a company of horses coming to halt could be heard, and Erik walked between the barn and his home to be greeted by the sight of Hank dismounting his horse.

“Hank,” he called out as he approached, wringing his hands slightly before he ran a hand through his hair. Erik was still shaken by what had just happened in the barn. “Always nice to see you.”

“Erik, I must speak with you.” He spoke urgently, trying to catch his breath as he pulled Erik toward the front door of his home. “ _Quickly._ ”

The scent of omega hit Erik hard, and his nostrils flared to inhale but he shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Hank's scent was different than Charles' had been. In fact, standing there with Hank made him realize Charles' scent smelled entirely different just a moment ago than it had for the past day or so. He almost found himself disappointed that it was not the same scent he'd been hoping for.

With a nervous glance toward the soldiers, Erik allowed Hank to enter his home and closed the door quickly so the two of them could speak privately. “I don't know why you bring them along if you're just going to leave them outside every time you visit.”

Hank seemed distracted a moment, his eyebrows drawing together as he wandered into the living room and took a good sniff the air. “Who... Who is that?” he asked as he looked around the one-roomed cottage for the source of the scent.

“Nobody,” Erik replied quickly. “There's nobody here.” He wasn't sure why he was being so defensive, but he rationalized his behavior with the fact that Charles was a thief. Erik was simply worried that he might've been wanted for stealing.

“Hmm,” Hank hummed softly as he became lost in thought. “It's just... familiar, that's all—and I _don't_ bring them,” Hank replied quickly. “They so kindly offer to escort me whenever I leave the castle—which reminds me of why I came here in the first place. You must return, Erik. You must take your place on throne to protect your people. It has never been so imperative that a Lehnsherr sit on the throne.”

Erik's eyes rolled as he took a seat in one of the chairs near the fireplace with a heavy sigh. “Not this again...”

“Erik, _please_ ,” Hank pleaded as he sat in the opposite chair. “I fear for the future of Genosha if it were to fall into the wrong hands... which is what I'm afraid will happen if you do not come back. Sebastian has made his move. He plans to campaign for the right to be king.”

“I've told you before, Hank,” Erik replied sharply. “I am _not going back_. I am not going to fight my brother's war! Let Sebastian have the throne!”

“Perhaps if you told them the truth...” Hank trailed off, his eyebrows pulling together as his eyes pleaded.

“I will not be made a mockery of. They'd as soon surrender to Latveria.” Erik pushed himself out of the chair as he muttered and wandered into the kitchen to lean against the table. “Hank, we've talked about this. I am not ever going to be the king.”

Hank pushed himself out of his seat and followed behind him. “Not even to protect the people of your country? Who knows what Sebastian—!”

“They are not my people!” Erik shouted as he slammed his fist onto the table. Hank was taken aback at Erik's reaction and fell silent, understandably backing away a few steps. Exhaling sharply, Erik shook his head and lifted a hand to rub at his forehead in frustration. He shouldn't have lost his temper. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten Hank. “Please, just go,” he muttered, refusing to look at Hank as the guilt pooled within him. “I have responsibilities to tend to.”

Hank huffed softly, falling silent for a moment. “You will be viewed as a threat, Erik. He may even try to kill you.”

Erik's eyes rolled as he gripped the back of the chair beside him until his knuckles turned white. “He can very well try.”

Erik wasn't sure he'd ever seen Hank so disappointed before. “Your parents would be so disappointed in you,” he muttered as he opened the door.

Those were words Erik never thought he would hear, especially not from Hank. He glared intensely at the back of the omega as he left, and as the door slammed behind Hank, Erik knocked over the chair beside him with a loud clatter.

He was frustrated. Erik wasn't sure he'd ever been so frustrated. He didn't want to be king, he didn't want Hank to keep harassing him about it, he didn't want to be killed over something he had no interest in, and at the moment, his biggest concern was what had happened to Charles. A hand ran down across his face, stopping to frame his jaw as he stared out through the window in the direction Charles had run away in. His gaze drifted down to settle on his forearms, where Charles' hands had last been, but his own hands closed into fists and dropped to his sides as he looked back out the window. There was a chance he'd come back by nightfall, but the wait was already agonizing.

 


End file.
